Delicious Ingredients: Best Podcasts for July 8-14, 2017

Each week I will publish the most Delicious Ingredients of my Audible Feast … the scrumptious, delectable, savory, rich, sweet, spicy, and best podcasts that have fed my ears this week. They’re listed in no particular order. You can see what I’ve been listening to here to see the competition these shows beat out to earn their spot as the best of the week.

My playlist is accessible on RadioPublic at the link below, which will take you directly to the playlist if you have the app where you can hit “follow” to get the Delicious Ingredients weekly. If you don’t have the app, get it from the Apple Store or Google Play.

The Elephant: An Astronaut’s View: Spacewalking, Climate Change, and Life on Our Pale Blue Dot (8/12/16) *First appearance on Delicious Ingredients!*: What it’s about: “When it comes to truly understanding that blue marble we all call home, few people can claim as much insight as Piers Sellers. Not only as an astronaut did Piers get the chance to witness Earth from that ultimate bird’s eye view, but now as the division director of NASA’s Earth Sciences department, he oversees the work of 1600 scientists tasked with understanding how the natural systems of our planet operate, and how they’re changing because of humanity’s collective impact.” Why it’s great: Thanks to Podcast Brunch Club for this episode, I’d probably not have found it otherwise. Sellers painted such a beautiful picture of the earth from space that I didn’t want the episode to end. *ETA Piers Sellers died last year from pancreatic cancer. I’m so glad he recorded this piece with The Elephant Podcast before he died. (46 minutes)
Twitter: @elephantpodcast

Alter Ego, Episode 58: Mika Madness Surprises and Scares with Her Messages of Self Discovery Through Horror (6/27/17): What it’s about: “Mika Madness is a Horror Comedian based in New York City. She has been featured on TLC’s Cake Boss and Love, Lost or Run and AMC’s Comic Book Men. She’s known as the “Scream Queen of Vine”, the only horror comedy Viner with over 56K+ followers. Mika Kenyah grew up in a very religious Pentacostal home in the Bronx with her mother and grandmother. Strangely, on Fridays it was tradition to rent horror and kung fu movies for a family movie night. Mika’s mom took her to see Pet Sematary 2 in the movie theatre at age 8 years old.Needless to say, growing up with a mix of religious teachings and a fascination for horror made for a very interesting and confusing childhood.” Why it’s great: Mika Madness goes over how and why she developed her alter ego and is totally relatable in doing so. (36 minutes)
Twitter: @bealteregoRead my review of Alter Ego here! (February 2017)

Radiolab: Revising the Fault Line (6/27/17) What it’s about: “A new tussle over an old story, and some long-held beliefs, with neurologist and author Robert Sapolsky. Four years ago, we did a story about a man with a starling obsession that made us question our ideas of responsibility and justice. We thought we’d found some solid ground, but today Dr. Sapolsky shows up and takes us down a rather disturbing rabbit hole.” Why it’s great: I’d never heard the original Radiolab story, but long time listeners will probably remember it. The man in question served jail time for a crime he committed, but a fresh look at advances in neurology may provide clues to whether choice can be impaired some of the time, and other times, seem to be completely in control. (48 minutes)
Twitter: @radiolab

30 For 30 Podcasts: On the Ice (6/27/17): What it’s about: “Twenty years ago, hundreds of women answered a classified ad seeking intrepid adventurers for an all-women trek to the North Pole — no expedition experience necessary. On the ice, 20 of those women came face to face with just how deadly the Arctic can be, along with the supreme beauty of the top of our planet. They also discovered something in themselves that changed their lives forever.” Why it’s great: A crazy story about how a trip to the Arctic helped a woman through (and out of) a tough marriage and ultimately to a career as an Artic guide. (42 minutes)
Twitter: @30for30

Modern Love: ‘Take My Son to Jail’ (7/5/17): What it’s about: “When do you know if your child is ready to become an independent adult? For Ann Bauer, that already difficult decision was made much harder by her son’s problematic and mysterious diagnosis. Actor Jayne Atkinson, from Netflix’s “House Of Cards,” reads Ann Bauer’s essay, “You Need To Take My Son To Jail.”” Why it’s great: My kids would be horrified to hear this and someday when they’re old enough to dig up mom’s podcast review and recommendation archive on the interwebs of the future, I’ll apologize, but I fear, yet can picture, the day when I will have to let them take responsibility for something awful they’ve done. Ann Bauer, however, had the added complexity of a son with mental illness when he was making bad choices. It’s a beautiful essay full of tension and a great reading by Atkinson. (23 minutes)
Twitter: @wbur@meghnaWBRead my review of Modern Love here! (April 2016)

The Story Collider: Friction: Stories of Difficult Relationships in Science (7/7/17): What it’s about: “This week, we bring you two stories of difficult professional relationships in science, whether in the field or in the lab. Part 1: As a young biology student, Margot Wohl is excited to spend a summer in the field, but her colleague expects her to do all the work. Part 2: Physics major Stephanie Loeb travels to Singapore to study nanoparticles, but is intimidated by her enigmatic project leader.” Why it’s great: I have written similar comments about The Story Collider in the past – I’m a women in STEM in my day job and so many of the stories resonate with me; here, I cringed and felt my stomach turning with these brave women who experienced very tough relationships at a young age – so painful to hear. But I’m glad that these experiences didn’t turn the women away from STEM, which it so often does. (31 minutes)
Twitter: @story_colliderRead my review of The Story Collider here! (August 2016)

Another Round, Episode 96: Trap Improv (with Sasheer Zamata) (7/12/17): What it’s about: “This week, we chat with actor/comedian Sasheer Zamata about trap improv, the wig room at Saturday Night Live, and her new stand-up special on Seeso called “Pizza Mind.” And we answer the question you’ve been dying to know: what’s the whitest opening song lyric of all time? Plus shout outs to street meats, cheese juice, and hard shells.” Why it’s great: Zamata is very charming, this was a great interview. I love that the uncomfortability of the question about why there was no sendoff show or segment for her when she left SNL was not edited out of the interview. (Zamata didn’t want to talk about it, but the point was made by the question alone). In addition to the lovable Zamata, I was cracking up at the ladies laughing about the whitest opening lyrics of songs of all time – it will make you hear Modest Mouse in a whole new way. (55 minutes)
Twitter: @heavenrants@brokeymcpoverty

Love Me: The Other Side (7/10/17): What it’s about: “Mo and Tamim find themselves in the Jungle for very different reasons. When their paths cross, they develop an unexpected connection.” Why it’s great: Very touching story, well edited and mixed, about a couple who fell for each other in a strange place and with basic needs not easily met – a refugee camp. (24 minutes)
Twitter: @luolkowski

Reveal: Al Letson Reveals: Roger Stone (7/13/17): What it’s about: “President Donald Trump has been in office for six months. On this week’s podcast special, Reveal host Al Letson speaks with someone who helped get him there – Roger Stone. Stone is a former campaign adviser to Trump and helped set the tone of the 2016 election. For decades, he’s played hardball politics as a Republican strategist and now is the subject of a documentary. He and Letson discuss political dirty tricks, white supremacy and Russian meddling in the November election.” Why it’s great: Oh my god. I could listen to Al Letson Reveals every week – but then it would be overdone. I love these short special episodes that have appeared very occasionally in Reveal’s playlist. It was very much like Letson’s discussion with Richard Spencer, although Stone backpedals quite a bit more than Spencer, who fully owns being a “white nationalist.” White supremacist, you mean. (22 minutes)
Twitter: @revealRead my review of Reveal here! (October 2015)

All episode descriptions and artwork come from the linked sites. What else was fantastic this week? Send me a note! audiblefeast@gmail.com or @audible_feast on Twitter.